CUNY Hunter College has a Hillel, a Chabad and the Jewish Foundation for the Education of Women.

Litigation & Investigations

In June 2024, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights entered into a resolution agreement with the CUNY system, outlining a series of actions that universities within the system must take to address antisemitism on campus.

In December 2024, the Lawfare Project announced that they had filed a lawsuit against CUNY Hunter College for failing to take action to address the antisemitism on campus.

In September 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul called on the CUNY system to implement recommendations developed by Judge Jonathan Lippman after more than 10 months of investigation into the school’s antisemitism and anti-discrimination policies.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In March 2024, graffiti containing antisemitic slurs and symbols was discovered in a library bathroom.

In May 2024, several demonstrations took place on campus after law enforcement dismantled the CUNY systemwide encampment.

In June 2024, tensions rose at CUNY Hunter College during the "Summer of Resistance Campaign" launched by the campus Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter. A Jewish counter-protester was assaulted, resulting in injuries that required medical attention. This incident was part of a broader series of disruptive activities, including a statement from the Hunter College Arabic Program faculty expressing solidarity with the encampment.

In August 2024, a student at Hunter College asked their roommate about their religious background. Upon finding out that their roommate was Jewish, the student became aggressive and stated that he would not live with the roommate. That same month, at an anti-Israel rally at Hunter College, protesters displayed signs with messages that included “Bring the war home” with an image of a gun, “Let the intifada pave the way for people’s war” and “It is right to rebel; Hillel go to hell.”

In February 2025, the College listed a job posting seeking professors versed in "issues pertaining to Palestine including but not limited to settler colonialism, genocide [and] apartheid."

In January 2025, a swastika was drawn on a board outside of a room at Hunter. In February 2025, graffiti that included a swastika, "88" and "Nazi" was found in a classroom.

University Policies and Responsive Action

In May 2023, the CUNY Chancellor established the Advisory Council on Jewish Life. Since then, CUNY Hunter – alongside other schools within the CUNY systems – have adopted numerous recommendations from the council. In addition, the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College has an advisory committee to address antisemitism. Among the recommendations from this advisory committee that have been, or continue to be implemented, are increased faculty training on managing difficult dialogues in the classroom; being more responsive and accommodating to students expressing concern about bias in instruction; reinforcing the standards of the profession among faculty and students regarding Professional Comportment, Core Social Work Values, and Student Conduct multiple times throughout the academic year; providing drop-in support services for Jewish students; and forming a dean’s advisory group of faculty and administrators to respond to crises such as antisemitic incidents.

The administration has also attended a number of summits and workshops designed to address antisemitism. In advance of every academic year, Hunter College issues communications providing comprehensive information on how to report incidents of discrimination.

The Hunter Academic Center for Excellence in Research and Teaching (ACERT) has also conducted annual workshops on how to have difficult conversations in the classroom and, in Fall 2024, Hunter President Cantor launched a new series of events open to the entire Hunter College community titled, “Promoting Civil Discourse and Intellectual Dialogue.” Hunter College also participates in the CUNY-wide partnership with the Constructive Dialogue Institute, a strategic initiative to foster an environment where students, faculty, and staff can openly exchange ideas, even amid disagreement.

Furthermore, Hunter’s mandatory Title VI training for faculty and staff specifically discusses antisemitism and includes specific scenarios involving antisemitic incidents and how they must be handled. As part of first-year student programming, Hunter also includes hate crimes education, in which antisemitism is addressed. In addition, through the CUNY-wide Office of Professional Development, Hunter College makes voluntary antisemitism training available through a diversity, equity, and inclusion training course open to employees at every level.

In response to the February 2025 job listing, New York Governor Kathy Hochul demanded that the College remove the listing and conduct a thorough review of the position. The CUNY Chancellor promptly responded, condemning the language used in the posting and ensuring that Hunter College took down the posting.

CUNY Hunter College has a Hillel, a Chabad and the Jewish Foundation for the Education of Women.

Litigation & Investigations

In June 2024, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights entered into a resolution agreement with the CUNY system, outlining a series of actions that universities within the system must take to address antisemitism on campus.

In December 2024, the Lawfare Project announced that they had filed a lawsuit against CUNY Hunter College for failing to take action to address the antisemitism on campus.

In September 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul called on the CUNY system to implement recommendations developed by Judge Jonathan Lippman after more than 10 months of investigation into the school’s antisemitism and anti-discrimination policies.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In March 2024, graffiti containing antisemitic slurs and symbols was discovered in a library bathroom.

In May 2024, several demonstrations took place on campus after law enforcement dismantled the CUNY systemwide encampment.

In June 2024, tensions rose at CUNY Hunter College during the "Summer of Resistance Campaign" launched by the campus Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter. A Jewish counter-protester was assaulted, resulting in injuries that required medical attention. This incident was part of a broader series of disruptive activities, including a statement from the Hunter College Arabic Program faculty expressing solidarity with the encampment.

In August 2024, a student at Hunter College asked their roommate about their religious background. Upon finding out that their roommate was Jewish, the student became aggressive and stated that he would not live with the roommate. That same month, at an anti-Israel rally at Hunter College, protesters displayed signs with messages that included “Bring the war home” with an image of a gun, “Let the intifada pave the way for people’s war” and “It is right to rebel; Hillel go to hell.”

In February 2025, the College listed a job posting seeking professors versed in "issues pertaining to Palestine including but not limited to settler colonialism, genocide [and] apartheid."

In January 2025, a swastika was drawn on a board outside of a room at Hunter. In February 2025, graffiti that included a swastika, "88" and "Nazi" was found in a classroom.

University Policies and Responsive Action

In May 2023, the CUNY Chancellor established the Advisory Council on Jewish Life. Since then, CUNY Hunter – alongside other schools within the CUNY systems – have adopted numerous recommendations from the council. In addition, the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College has an advisory committee to address antisemitism. Among the recommendations from this advisory committee that have been, or continue to be implemented, are increased faculty training on managing difficult dialogues in the classroom; being more responsive and accommodating to students expressing concern about bias in instruction; reinforcing the standards of the profession among faculty and students regarding Professional Comportment, Core Social Work Values, and Student Conduct multiple times throughout the academic year; providing drop-in support services for Jewish students; and forming a dean’s advisory group of faculty and administrators to respond to crises such as antisemitic incidents.

The administration has also attended a number of summits and workshops designed to address antisemitism. In advance of every academic year, Hunter College issues communications providing comprehensive information on how to report incidents of discrimination.

The Hunter Academic Center for Excellence in Research and Teaching (ACERT) has also conducted annual workshops on how to have difficult conversations in the classroom and, in Fall 2024, Hunter President Cantor launched a new series of events open to the entire Hunter College community titled, “Promoting Civil Discourse and Intellectual Dialogue.” Hunter College also participates in the CUNY-wide partnership with the Constructive Dialogue Institute, a strategic initiative to foster an environment where students, faculty, and staff can openly exchange ideas, even amid disagreement.

Furthermore, Hunter’s mandatory Title VI training for faculty and staff specifically discusses antisemitism and includes specific scenarios involving antisemitic incidents and how they must be handled. As part of first-year student programming, Hunter also includes hate crimes education, in which antisemitism is addressed. In addition, through the CUNY-wide Office of Professional Development, Hunter College makes voluntary antisemitism training available through a diversity, equity, and inclusion training course open to employees at every level.

In response to the February 2025 job listing, New York Governor Kathy Hochul demanded that the College remove the listing and conduct a thorough review of the position. The CUNY Chancellor promptly responded, condemning the language used in the posting and ensuring that Hunter College took down the posting.